Film applicator



Oct. 24, 1950 w, BIDDLE 2,526,991

FILM APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 18, 1947 INVENTOR MmA/ /w/M 4/ ATTOEN 5Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILM APPLICATOBWilliam H- Biddle, nc ver. ri sh. Qeliiiii ia.

Canada,

Application October 18, 1947, Serial No. 780,711

m- L, 9.1 39.) 1 2 This invention relates to improvements in film beused on a rigid surface, usually plate glass,

applicators. I

This device is designed to apply a thinfilm or coating of liquid orsemi-liquid material, such as paint, varnish, lacquer and the like. Theapplicator is particularly designed for use in the paint industry inwhich it is necessary to compare the, color and opacity of one batch of.paint or the like with another. In order to do this, it is necessary toform a layer or film, of the two batches side by side in order that theymay be tested and examined. It is essential that these films be of;uniform and predict-.

able thickness. Where two ormore films are tov be compared as to color,opacity and the like, it is essential that they be applied at the sametime with exactly the same treatment on, the

same surface edge to edge in a straight line without merging.

As the colors and gloss of paints, lacquers and the like undergoprogressive change during their drying periods, the importance ofsimultaneous: application is apparent. The characteristics of;

films has, been by brush or. by spray-gun and;

where an attempt has been made to produce a finite film thickness, ithas usually; been done by. repeated weighing and brushing or, sprayinguntil a calculated weight has been reached.- This method does not ensureuniform thickness over the whole area and it may be very inac curate dueto the evaporationof volatile. solvent during. the time taken forapplication. Where: twoor' more films are to be applied for compariwson'it is practically impossible to satisfy the re quirements ofsimultaneous application, equal treatment and edge to edgemeeting in astraight line without merging.

Previous attempts to produce a device which, would give theabove-mentioned -desirable re-. They,

sults have not been entirely successful. have, not been able to applyfilrns edge toedge. ina straig ht linewithoutmerging and theymustoutwardly at its edge.

which cannot be conveniently stored.

The present, invention may be used for apply ing films to rigid panels,as in the past, or to thin flexible sheets of material, such as paper,celluloid and the like. be applied simultaneously edge to edge in astraight line without merging in a quick and convenient manner.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from theaccompanying description With reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the film applicator,

Figure 2, is a longitudinal section taken through the applicator,

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly broken away, of a part of the inventionwhich may be used by itself, and

Figure i is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I 0 is a, block preferablyof rectangular form. This block has two or more hoppers l i arrangedside by side at one edge thereof and opening Each hopper is sep aratedfrom the adjacent hopper by a thin partition 12, the. lower edgev ofwhich tapers downwardly to a very fine edge I3", see Figure 3. Atransverse slot I5 is formedin the bottom of each hopper and the bottom[5 of the hopperslopes towards said slot, as clearly shown in: Figure,2. The slots l5 of the hoppers are in: line with each other.

A vertical doctor blade 29 extends the com-- bined length of the slotsand is spaced abovethe lower surface of the hoppers, as shown at 2 I.

As shown, thev slot of each hopper is preferably formedin the bottomthereof at its outer side in relation to. the block and the doctor bladeis mounted on. the edge of the block so that it forms the outer wall ofthe hoppers with its lower edge at the slots thereof;

The blade may be. formed withelongated slots 23': through which setscrews 24 extend. These screws maybe screwed into the block to hold thedoctor blade in any adjusted position. With this. arrangement, the blademay be ad'- J'usted vertically in relation to the bottom of-the blockat. the slots.

A- pressure area 30' is formed on the bottom of the block In along theinner side of the slots I5, see Figures 2 and 4. This pressure areaextends. across the bottom of the block and, if de-- sired, extensions.31 thereof maylie I parallel with:

. the hoppers H.

transmitted therethrough to said pressure area only.

The block in may be used by itself to form films of two or moredifferent materials, the

block illustrated being adapted to form two films),

When used in this manner, it is preferable to*""' apply films to a panelformed of :rigid material,

such as plate glass. When the block restson the panel, the pressure areabears against said panel. The doctor blade 20 may be adjusted verticallyto provide a space 33 below its loweredge of a desired thickness, whichrepresents approximately double the thickness of the film to be applied.Then a small quantity of the two materials to be compared are placedseparately in The material in the hoppers fills the slots l5 and restson the panel. When the block is moved over the panel in the direction ofarrow A in Figure 2, or as the'panel is moved in the direction of arrowB, the material tends to adhere to the panel and is drawn through thespace beneath the doctor blade, at which time the upper surface of thematerial tends to adhere to the lower edge of the blade, thus shearingthe material substantially midway between the blade edge and the panel.The thickness of the resulting films is equal to approximately half thedepth of the space beneath the doctor blade. Films of the two materialsare applied at exactly the same time and are exactly the same thickness.They are also side by side and the tapered lower edge of the partitioni2 allows the two films to come into contact without actually mergingwith each other. Thus the color and density of the two materials may beaccurately compared.

The block H3 may be used in conjunction with a base 38 having a fiat topand vertical walls 39 at the opposite sides thereof. In this form of theinvention the block I0 is preferably provided with pins 40 projectingoutwardly from its opposite ends adapted to fit into slots 4! formed inthe walls 39. The slots 4| are designed to prevent the block from movingtowards either edge of the base. If desired, suitable meansmay beprovided for holding the pins in the slots, such as, for example, springarms 42 pivotally mounted at 43 on the upper edges of the walls andadapted to be moved over the pins 40. When the block is resting on thebase, it is preferable that the upper surfaces of the pins lie above theupper edges of the side walls in order that the spring arms 42 may exerta certain amountof. pressure downwardly on the arms.

This arrangement is particularly adapted for use with thin sheets ofmaterial 45, such as paper. The block l0 and its associated elementsfunction as described above.

projecting outwardly beyond the edge of the base. Then the block isplaced on the paper with its pins 40 resting in the slots 4| and thespring arms bearing down on said pins.

A piece of paper is laid over the base 38 between its side walls withone end When the materials to be compared are placed in the hoppers l I,the piece of paper 45 is drawn in the direction of the arrow B, at whichtime a thin film ofeachmaterial is formed on the paper. The pressurearea 30 bears against the piece of paper or panel to retain it thepredetermined distance from the lower edge of the doctor blade. Hereagain, the films are formed side by side without merging at the sametime, and are of exactly the same thickness. The adjacent edges of thetwo films form astraight line, thus making it relatively easy to comparethe two films in the usual manner. The sheets of material used in thisexample are relatively inexpensive and may easily and con- 'veniently bestored for future reference.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A film applicator comprising at least two hoppers arranged side byside, a thin partition 'between the hoppers, a narrow transverse slot;in the bottom of each hopper at one edge thereof,

said slots being aligned with each other, and the bottoms of the hopperssloping towards their respective slots, a vertical doctor bladeextending the combined length of the slots and forming a wall for thehoppers, the lower edge of said blade being spaced above the lowersurface of the hoppers, and means for vertically adjusting the doctorblade. I

2. A film applicator comprising a block, at least two hoppers formedside by side in the block at one edge thereof and opening outwardly atsaid edge, a transverse slot in the bottom of each hopper at the edge ofthe block, said slots being aligned with each other, a thin partitionbetween V the hoppers, said partition tapering down to a very fine edgebetween the slots, and a doctor blade forming the outer wall of thehoppers with its lower edge at the slots thereof.

3. A film applicator comprising a block, at least two hoppers formedside by side in the block at one edge thereof and opening outwardly atsaid edge, a thin partition between the hoppers, a transverse slot inthe bottom of each hopper at the edge of the block, said slots beingaligned with each other, and the bottoms of the hoppers sloping towardstheir respective slots, a doctor blade forming the outer wall of thehoppers with its lower edge at the slots thereof, and means forvertically adjusting the doctor blade in relation to the slots.

4. A film applicator comprising a block, at least two hoppers formedside by side in the block at one edge thereof and opening outwardly atsaid edge, a thin partition between the hoppers, a transverse slot inthe bottom of each hopper at the edge of the block, said slots beingaligned with each other, a doctor blade forming the outer wall of thehoppers with its lower edge at the outer side of the slots, and apressure area formed on the bottom of the block along the inner side ofthe slots.

5. A device according to claim 4 in which the pressure area is arelatively narrow strip extending along the inner side of the slots andits lower surface is spaced below the bottom surface of the block.

6. A film applicator comprising a base, a block adapted to rest on thebase, means for retaining the block in position on the base, at leasttwo hoppers formed side by side in the block at one edge thereof andopening outwardly at said edge, a thin partition between the hoppers, atransverse slot in the bottom of each hopper at the edge of the block,said slots being aligned with each other, and a doctor blade forming theouter wall of the hoppers with its lower edge at the slots thereof andterminating above the base.

7. A film applicator comprising a base, a block adapted to rest on thebase, means for removably retaining the block in position on the base,at least two hoppers formed side by side in the block at one edgethereof and opening outwardly at said edge, a thin partition between thehoppers, a transverse slot in the bottom of each hopper at the edge ofthe block, said slots being aligned with each other, a doctor bladeforming the outer wall of the hoppers with its lower edge at the slotsthereof and terminating above the base, and means for verticallyadjusting the doctor blade.

8. A film applicator comprising a block, at least two hoppers formedside by side in the block, a thin partition between the hoppers, atransverse slot in the bottom of each hopper, said slots being alignedwith each other, a vertical doctor blade mounted on the hoppers andforming a wall therefor with its lower edge in the slots thereof andterminating above the bottom of the block, and a fiat pressure areaformed on and extending across the bottom of the block beneath thehoppers at the sides of the slots thereof remote from the blade, saidpressure area being lower than any other part of the block.

9. A film applicator comprising a block, a flat pressure area formed onand extending across the bottom of the block adjacent one edge thereof,said pressure area being lower than any other part of the block, atleast two hoppers formed h side by side in the block and openingoutwardly at the edge thereof adjacent which the pressure area islocated, a thin partition between the hoppers, a transverse slot in thebottom of each hop per between the pressure area and the block edge,said slots being aligned with each other, and a doctor blade forming theouter wall of the hoppers with its lower edge at the outer side of theslots and normally above the pressure area.

10. A film applicator as claimed in claim 9 in which the pressure areaalso extends along each side of the bottom of the block.

11. A film applicator comprising a base, a block adapted to rest on thebase, means for retaining the block in position on the base, at leasttwo hoppers formed side by side in the block at one edge thereof andopening outwardly at said edge, a thin partition between the hoppers, atransverse slot in the bottom of each hopper at the edge of the block,said slots being aligned with each other, a doctor blade forming theouter wall of the hoppers with its lower edge at the outer side of theslots, and a flat pressure area formed on the bottom of the block alongthe inner side of the slots, said pressure area being lower than anyother part of the block and adapted to rest on the base.

12. A film applicator comprising a base, a block adapted to rest on thebase, means for retaining the block in position on the base, a fiatpressure area formed on and extending across the bottom of the blockadjacent one edge thereof, said pressure area being the only part of theblock engaging the base, at least two hoppers formed side by side in theblock and opening outwardly at the edge thereof adjacent which thepressure area is located, a thin partition between the hoppers, atransverse slot in the bottom of each hopper between the pressure areaand the block edge, said slots being aligned with each other, and adoctor blade forming the outer wall of the hoppers with its lower edgeat the outer side of the slots and normally above the pressure area andthe base.

13. A film applicator comprising a base having a fiat top, verticalwalls at the opposite sides of the base having slots therein, a blockadapted to rest on the base between the side walls of the latter, pinsprojecting outwardly from the opp0- site ends of the block and fittinginto the wall slots, a spring arm on each wall adapted to bear on theblock pin in the slot of its wall, at least two hoppers formed side byside in the block, a thin partition between the hoppers, a transverseslot in the bottom of each hopper, said slots being aligned with eachother, and'a vertical doctor blade mounted on the hoppers and forming aWall therefor with its lower edge in the slots thereof and terminatingabove the bottom of the block and the base.

WILLIAM H. BIDDLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 418,058 Porter Dec. 24, 1889964,133 Strehler July 12, 1910 50 1,669,166 Keller May 8, 1928 1,947,791Moyer Feb. 20, 1934

